Stonehenge is a famous Prehistoric monument in the UK, they are thought to be carved from large stones to create a unique formation. The structure is still shrouded in mystery as to what its purpose is, according to Atkinson, R J C What is Stonehenge? A Guide for Young People “Some people have suggested that it was a temple for sun worship, because the entrance points down the middle of the Avenue, towards the sunrise, on a mid-summer day, the longest day of the year.” With this in mind, the 3D animation will focus on ideas such as worship, daylight, sun, and mysticism.
When looking at references to Stonehenge, it can be noted that not any stone is the same size or shape, but they do loosely form a circle, which has been eroded over time.
The design will incorporate a 3D model of Stonehenge that is made of Swiss cheese. This will be a fly-by of the model and feature a metamorphosis.
For the 3D animation, the cheese which forms Stonehenge will have similar attributes, they will be worn and misshaped, to mimic the original monument, but also have their own new qualities of cheese. As seen in the image below, swiss cheese has characteristic holes and light yellow color, these will be the feature attributes of the 3D Stonehenge. Some main ideas for the design concept of the animation are listed in the image below;
The texture of the cheese is worth noting as it enables transformations in its different temperature states. Also has the ability to bounce when dropped and transform when heated. This means that the cheese in Stonehenge has the ability to become soft and spread and melt in its different states, therefore there is a possibility for a metamorphosis to occur.
The movement of the camera perspective for the animation will feature a fly-by, this has the potential to capture the full scene in an Ariel drone-style angle. The path of the flight will be from left to right, however, this has a potential for advanced ideas such as a loop de loop through one of the holes of the Swiss cheese Stonehenge structure.
The stop motion video above has attributes that could be loosely based on the Stonehenge concept. The playdough texture is similar to that of cheese in its malleable properties, the idea that this could morph into many different shapes is an interesting idea to explore and could feature in the final 3D rendered animation.
The above video demonstrates some vital qualities when thinking of metamorphosis, the ball transforms into various things in its journey, and the idea of metamorphosis is unique in its way to convey a message through changing shapes, there is no need for words or language, the imagery is something that can be understood worldwide. This idea will contribute to the final animation.
References
Book: What is Stonehenge? A Guide for Young People- Atkinson, R J C 1962
Online: History of Stonehenge – Home: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/hist%20ory/ [Accessed on 6 May 2023]
Online: Home- Swiss Cheese High-Res Stock Photo – Getty Images – https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/image?family=creative&phrase=swiss%20chees%20e [Accessed on 5 May 2023]